KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Jason Witten, an East Tennessee native and one of the greatest tight ends in Tennessee football history, has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Over 100 players were officially nominated for the 2026 induction class on Wednesday. Witten was one of 13 players to be nominated in their first year of eligibility.

The Elizabethton native was initially recruited to Tennessee as a defensive end before being trained as a tight end in the fall of his freshman year due to a shortage of available personnel in that group. Witten led the team in catches, yards, and touchdowns as junior in 2003, setting a program record for receiving yards in a single season by a tight end in the process.

Witten spent 16 seasons and earned 11 Pro Bowl selections with the Dalla

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